Combination air-break switch



- Dec. 27, 1932. .1. s. LAWSON COMBINATION AIR BREAK SWITCH Filed May 2, 1928 JNVLNTO/i BY JZEZ J". Lazaro R 8 ATTORNEY '35 present construction. e p

, i In the drawing accompanying this specifi- Patented Dec. 27,1932 I v rrseasnrss PATENT OFFICE Jeans. 'LAWsomoFsTQJAMEs, NEW YORK COMBINATION. AIR-BREAK SWITCH Application filed May 2, 1928. Serial No, 274,424.

g This invention relates to disconnecting switches and has .more part cular reference to an air-break switchcombined with means for limiting the current flowthrough the'switch.

I comprehensively stated the invention comprises an air-break sw tch for high tens on currents having auxiliary spark dissipating.

. means in which a movable element of the switch comprehendsa fuse or reactance unit.

More specifically stated the invention comprises an air-break switch for high tension currents having flash dissipating horns with a fuse or-reactance unit mounted directly on v the grasshopper of the switch, therebyeliminating additional line insulators to support these units and making the switch simple and more compact. I

While switches have been heretofore known 1 in which a fuse is carried on a movable switch arm, as shown in patent numbered 1,138,857 issued to Ralph Elsman et al., the fuse in this patented construction is supported on pin insulators at each of its ends rendering the con- 1 struction objectionable in that it requires one I more insulator for the fuse than would berequired if it were carried in the line, requires the switch blades to be spaced a considerable distance from theirsupports and requires a greater throw of the switch blades due to the absence of auxiliary spark dissipating means and furthermore requires a counterbalance due to the added'weight of the insulators on the swinging arm. These objectionable features have beenlargely eliminated in the cation several embodiments of the invention are illustrated for the purpose of affording a clearunderstanding of the underlying printhe invention to the specific forms shown therein.

I In said drawing: v

. Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a switch embodying the invention in one form, showing in dotted lines a fragment of the structure in open position. I

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary. side elevation of a I modification, and

ciples of the invention, but without limiting Fig. a fragmentary side elevation of another modification. p

Referring more specifically to the drawing and more especially to Fig. l a station- 1 ary switch blade A is mounted on a stationary pininsulator B in any convenient manner and has a line lead C connected thereto. A movable switch blade D is mounted on an oscillatable pininsulatorE andis adapted when in closed position to contact with the switch blade A and closethe circuit. This insulator E is mounted on a suitable rocker shaft connected to a rocker or crank arm F to whlch there is connected a depending operating or reach rod G so as to permit the switch to be thrown from a remote point. Suitable stop elements H and H may be and preferablyare provided tolimit the swing of the insulator. Horn J is attached to switch blade member A and hornK is attached to grasshopper affording collapsible means to connect the line M to the blade The body of armL is of insulating material such as a porcelain tube insulator, and has at its ends metal caps R, to which the fuse clips N are connected, without need for additional insulation. I I

Afuse N is laid in fuseclips N; The fuse clips at one end of the fuse are connected to the. line M, and the fuse clips at the other I end of the fuse'are connected by a lead P to the switch blade D. I

In the modification shown in Fig. 2 a reactance or choke coilQ is substituted for the I fuse N shown in. Fig. 1 while in Fig. 3 a fuse N is mounted on the arm L and a choke or re actance coil Q is mounted onthearm L".

The manner body portion of arm 1] Fig. I

3, preferably is of insulating material, providedwith metal end pieces T, to which the terminal contacts forthereactance coil are connected, although obviously the arm or even the coil itself might be merely sheathed with insulating material having a suflicient break down resistance (readily determinable by the current carried) to prevent short circuiting of the reactance coil.

The fuse N serves to break the circuit when too heavy a current is impressed thereon and the choke coil Q serves to prevent an excessive current passing through the switch so that the current will be limited to the breaking capacity of the switch. In fact both the fuse and choke serve to limit the amount of current flowing through the switch the cholre coil acting as a resistance and the fuse blowing when there is too great an excess of current;

It is claimed 1. An air-break switch for high tension circuits comprising a stationary switch blade, movable means, including an insulator movable toward and away from the switch blade and always simultaneously in its entirety with said means, to limit the current flowing through the switch and means for finally breaking the circuit, at a point remote from the blade, and only after the switch blades have been separated.

2. A disconnecting switch combining a grasshopper arm with movable meanscarried by the grasshopper arm to limit the current flowing through the switch.

3. A disconnecting switch for high tension currents combining a stationary line insulator, a grasshopper comprising a movable insulating arm connected to said insulator, and means on said arm to limit the current flowing through the switch.

4. A disconnecting switch combining a switch blade mounted on a stationary insulator, a second switch blade mounted on an oscillatin insulator and means to limit the current flowing through theswitch, said means connecting the second switch blade andline and always moving in its entirety simultaneously with the second switch blade toward and away from the stationary switch blade, said means being separate and spaced from the oscillating insulator.

5. A disconnecting switch for high tension currents combining a switch blade, a second switch blade movable relatively to the first named switch blade, and means always moving in its entirety simultaneously with the movable blade toward and away from the first named switch blade tojlimit the current flowing through the switch and connecting the movable switch blade and the line, said means being separate and removable trom the member connecting the line and the movable switch blade.

6. A disconnecting switch combining a stationary line insulator, a stationary switch blade mounted on the stationary line insulator, a second line insulator, aswitch blade mounted on an oscillating insulator, and adapted to contact with the stationary blade, to close the circuit, a current limiting device separate and spaced from the oscillating insulator and always moving in itsentirety simultaneously therewith and connectin the movable switch blade and line carried by said second insulator.

'7. A disconnecting switch combining a stationary line insulator, a stationary switch blade mounted on the stationary insulator, a movable switch blade mounted on a movable insulator, a second stationary line insulator, means to limit the amount of current flowing through the switch, said means connecting the movable switch blade and second stationary, line insulator and always moving in its entirety simultaneously with the movable switch blade, and auxiliary means to dissipatet-he flash.

8. A switch comprising a grasshopper consisting. of articulated links, and a movable contact operated thereby to cooperate with a 'fixed contact, one of said links having a body of insulatingmaterial, metal )icces at ends of said body, and a current limiting device mounted on said link and'having its terminals connected to said metal pieces.

In testimony, whereofll have signed my name to this specification this 30 day of April, 1928.

JOEL S. LAWSON. 

